A research team at HKUST has invented a low-voltage mini pulsed electric field device that can kill more than 90 percent of bacteria in the running tap water in a few seconds.

The technology is a possible way to help control the spread of waterborne diseases such as Legionellosis caused by microbial contamination of water, which is one of the recurrent diseases in Hong Kong. Healthy people have lower risk of infection while people with weakened immune systems can develop life threatening pneumonia.

The World Health Organisation estimates that ingestion of microbial contaminated water kills more than a million people worldwide every year.

The low-cost device is now being tested at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. It is able to run on two AA batteries for up to six months and is possible to become one of the household products.